A new distinct pear variety is described. This interspecific variety results from crossing varieties, ‘Nijisseiki’ (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) (not patented) and ‘Max Red Bartlett’ (Pyrus communis) (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 741). The new variety has been named ‘Prem1P’ and was selected because of its crisp texture and strong ‘Barlett’ type flavor. The fruit of this new variety is characterized by its round to high round fruit shape which has 50-70% red blush coverage.

1. A new and distinct variety of pear tree named ‘Prem1P’ substantially as herein illustrated and described.

Description:

Genus and species of plant claimed: Pyrus communis×Pyrus pyrifolia.

Variety denomination: ‘Prem1P’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A new distinct pear variety is described. This interspecific variety originated as a single plant resulting from crossing varieties ‘Nijisseiki’ (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) (not patented) and ‘Max Red Bartlett’ (Pyrus communis) (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 741). The new variety has been named ‘Prem1P’ and was selected because of its crisp texture and strong ‘Bartlett’ type flavour. The fruit of this new variety is characterised by its round to high round fruit shape which has 50-70% red blush coverage.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

This new variety was selected from a population of seedlings derived from crossing the pear varieties ‘Nijisseiki’ and ‘Max Red Bartlett’. The cross was made in 1987 at Motueka, Nelson, New Zealand. The variety was determined to be distinct from the parent varieties by the following characteristics:

Nijisseiki: ‘Prem1P’ fruit has 50-70 percent red colour while ‘Nijisseiki’ has none; strong ‘Bartlett’ like flavour when fully ripe compared with the delicate flavour of ‘Nijisseiki’; a layer of stone cells around the core while ‘Nijisseiki’ has none.

‘Max Red Bartlett’: ‘Prem1P’ had a round to high round shape compared to the pyriform shape of ‘Max Red Bartlett’; ‘Prem1P’ has red skin colour and can have a ‘speckled’ appearance where colour is concentrated around lenticels while the colour on ‘Max Red Bartlett’ has fuller skin coverage.

‘Williams Bon Chretien’: ‘Prem1P’ has a round to high round shape compared to the pyriform shape of ‘Williams Bon Chretien’; ‘Prem1P's’ red skin colour and can have a ‘speckled’ appearance where colour is concentrated around lenticels while ‘Williams Bon Chretien’ has no skin colour.

True to type budding and grafting onto Quince rootstock ‘BA29’ with ‘Buerre Hardy’ pear as an interstock has been used to obtain plants. Asexual propagation by budding and grafting has shown that the unique combination of characteristics of the variety is consistently transferred through successive propagation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the tree, foliage, fruit of the new variety, identified as “Maxie”, as depicted in colours as nearly true as is reasonably possible in a colour illustration of this character.

FIG. 1: calyx end view of typical fruit of the pear variety ‘Prem1P’.

FIG. 2: side view of typical fruit of the pear variety ‘Prem1P’.

FIG. 3: stem end view of a typical fruit of the pear variety ‘Prem1P’.

MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of the new variety with colour terminology in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society Colour charts (R.H.S.C.C.) 2001 edition.

The observations were made in the 2003-2004 season on four year old trees grafted onto Quince ‘BA29’ rootstocks with a ‘Buerre Hardy’ pear interstock and planted in the orchard in 1999. The observations were made at Motueka, New Zealand. In this growing location, the climate is temperate, with 2418 sunshine hours; humidity between 65% and 85%; moderately high rainfall at 1381 mm per year; and moderate temperatures, average daily maximum 18° C., minimum 6.9° C.